Can-washing machine



c. F. MCEWAN.

CAN. WASHING MACHINE,

May 8, 1923.-

Filed March 41s, 1922 l s sheets-sheet 1 [1v1/enferv Charlas F. .A7-C Ewan May 8, 19.23.

` c. F. Mc-EwAN .CAN WASHING V-MAG3I`NE..

Filed March 1e. 15922 sheets-sheet 2 Ina/en for', Cxarej 7.47 Ewan W1' tn eses May 8,1923. A'1,454,124

C. F. MCEWAN GAN' WASHING M Ac'umsm Filed Mai-ch 11s 1922- I s sheets-sheet V r i I -l I I I I. I I S I I l \l Y l I I I I I 'l 4n l I J l Il' [E l VII .f M" /I I I I QI l' .\1 Q I l' l I I/ I Il \`1- I 1 I l I l I.

l I I: I I I I wl l 'L I 11 I i m .#13 .sewer-hey and the covers therefor,

Patented May 8, 1923.

CHARLES F. MOWAN, or OAK PARK, ILLINoI's, AssIGNoR To HARRY D. LATHROI?, or

' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CANJWASHING MACHINE.

' Appiication fuga March 16,l 1922. serial No. 544,371.

To all wlrofm- '1'1" may conce/vi Be 1t known that I. CHARLEs F. MCEWAN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resi-' dent ot' Oak Park. county of Cook, and State oi" Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CanVashing l\lachines. otl which the following is a specification.

M v invention relates to improvements in can washing machines, especially to the feeding mechanism thereof and has for its principal object the provision of a construction ot this character which will be highliy eiticient in use and economical in manufacture.

A further object of the invention is the provision for intermittently moving cans, through a can washing machine.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements ot parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The inventionwill be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a -part of this speciication, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view ot a machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detail view ot the same taken substantially on line 2-2 ot Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view of the same taken substantially on line 3-3 oli rig. 2.

Fig.- 4 is view ot the same 4 4 ot Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view of the can feeding mechanism embodied in the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a detailview of the mounting of the carriage bearing rollers embodied in the invention.

The preferred form ot coiistruetion. as illustrated in the drawings` comprises parallel tracks 10 mounted on horizontal frame members l2 and 12 of a rig-id trame 13. The tracks 10 are supported on the hori- :cantal trame members 12 and 12 b v cylindrical sleeves 14 and are tixedlv secured to the said trame members by nut receiving` bolts 15. A platform 16 is ixedly secured on the rear ends of the tracks 10, onto which the cans 11 are placed to be ted along a fragmentary sectional detail taken sul'istantially on line the tracks. 1 Fixedly secured lo upright frame members 16 of the rigid trame 13 are. guide members 17 which serve te guide the cans 11 as they pass along the tracht-i 10.

Opposite the tracks 10 and. extending parallel therewith are tracks 18 which are also mountedon horizotnal frame members 12 and 12', said tracks being supported thereon by cylindrical sleeves 19 and secured thereto by nut reciving bolts 20. Along the' tracks 18 the covers 21, of the cans v11 are intermittently moved in unison with .the cans, said covers being attached to the cans 11 by suitable chains 22, as illustrate-d in Fig. 2. Guide members 22 are also tixedly secured to the upright trame members 16', serving to guide the covers 21 along the trackway 18. i

The means for intermittently moving the cans 11 and the covers 21 along the tracks 10 and 18 comprises a reciprocatory carriage A, the construction ot which will noW be described in detail.

The reciprocator carria e A comprises oppositely arranger pairs o runners 23 and 24, which extend longitudinally with respect tothe tracks 10 and 18, adjacentthe inner sides thereof. The runners 23 and 24 are fixedlysecured in spaced relation with respect to each other by transverse plates 25 and 2G. The lower flange 27 of each of the runners 23 and 24 ridesv on the peripheries ot flanged bearing rollers 28 and 29 which are mounted on the tracks 10 in hangers 30 and The bearing rollers 28 and 29 are arranged to move longitudinally within the hangers 30 and 31.1vhen the runners are reciprocated. Each of the runners 23 and 24 carry on their inner adjacent sides longitudinally extending plates 32 and 33 which are held in spaced relation with respect to the runners by cylindrical sleeves 34 and tixedly secured' to the runners by nut receiving bolts 35.

Pivotally mounted between the runners 23 and 24 and the plates 32 and 33, in spaced relation with respeot to each other, are

uponv a rearward movement ofthe runners the engaging ends 38 of the pawls will be forced downwardly by the cans and coverS. This downwardly movement of the engaging ends 38 of the pawls permits thesaid pawls to pass under. the cans and covers,

upon a rearward movement of the runners, to engage the next succeeding can and cover to be intermittently moved along the tracks.

TheV carriage A is reciprocated forward through the medium of pawls 39and 40 4 lwhich are pivotally carried by the runners 23 adjacent the outer sides thereof, as best illustrated in Fig. 5. As the cans 11 and the covers 2l are passed'from platform 16 4 onto the tracks 23 and 24, the can engages the lpawls 39 and 40 and' upon manually pushing the can forward the carriage A is reciprocated in a forward direction. Each of the pawls 39 and 40 are provided; with depending portions 41 and 42 carrying a transverse bar 43. Each end .of the bar '43 carries a roller 44 which rides on longitudinally extending angular guides 45 which are iixedly secured to the horizontal frame members 12 and 12', as best illustrated in Fig. 5. The rollers 44 upon a forward movement of the carriage A pass under inclined trip arms 46 which are pivotally mounted on guides 45, as illustrated in Fig.

4. The purpose of the trip arms 46 are to disengage the can engaging end of the pawls 39 vand 40 from cans 11, this function being 18 .ment of the rollers with the inclined trip arms '46, upon a rearward movement of the carrlage A, disengages the canengaging ends ofthe pawls 39 and 40, permitting the Ieo pawls to pass under the cans inl a rearward direction, as will be readily understood..

Secured to the' rear ends of the runners 23, are pawls 47, as shown in Fig. l, the purposes of which is such that as the cans are passed from the platform 16 onto the runners 23, thev upwardly and inwardly turned engaging ends 48 of the pawls will help to retain the cans in an upright inverted position. -This arrangement prevents the can from being accidently tipped forward, should the operator apply his hands too near the upper portion of the inverted can when pushingthe can from the' platform into engagement with the can engaging ends of the pawls'39 and 40 for reciprocating the carriage in a forward direction. Y

The reciprocatory carriage A is forced into its rearmost position through the action of a weight actuated mechanism. This means for forcing the carriage into its rearmost positioncomprises a weight'kick arm 49- whichA is lixedly secured tothe transverse plate 25. Upon a forward movement of the carriage A the inner end 50 of the weight kick arm-49 engages a roller 51 which is carried by 'a pivotally mounted -weight carrying arm 52.v As the carriage A moves forward 'the arm 49 forces the Aweight lcarrying end 53, of the arm 52, upwardly. As will be readily lunderstood whenfthe carriage A has completed its extremeforward movement the weight carrying arm 52 will 4 force the carriage toward its rearmostposition. After the weight lkick armdisengages the weight arm 52 the impulse of the arm causes the carriage to continue to move rearwardly into its initial position.' The weight carrying arm 52-also serves to limit the forward movement of the carriage A by engaging with a transverse vangular-ripieniber 54 fixedly secured to an upright frame memb'er 55 of the rigid frame 13. The horizontal frame member 12 serves .to limit the rearward movement of the engaging vend of the weight carrying arm 52, as wi'llvbe readily understood. i

yTo prevent the carriage A'from swaying laterally when reciprocated, I provide longi-y tudinally extending guide members 56 whichI are ixedly mounted on the, transverse plates 25 and 26 arranged and adapted to enga-ge the side edges of the adjacent 'tracks 10 and ltracks 10 and a cover to be fed along the In operation, a can to be fed along'the tracks 18 are positioned on the platform16.

The operator manually pushes the can, to be fed along the tracks into engagement with the can engaging ends of the pawls 39 and 40 whereupon lthe carriage A is caused to move in a forward direction. which is attached to the can, as herein stated, willfollow the can in unison, the pawls 37 carried by the runners 244 accomplish this function. After the operator has pushed the can forward along thel tracks 10, as far as the carriage A will permit, he releases his hold upon the can allowing the carriage to return 'to its normal position throughthe action of the weight carrying arm 52. Upon this rearward movement or returning of the carriage to its normal position the pawls 39 and 40 are disengaged from the can through themedi-um of the inclined trip arms 46 vand permitted to pass under-the can leaving the can stationary upon the tracks 10. After the' carriage A has returned to its normal position the operator places a second can and cover upon the platform'16 and by pushing the can forward in the same manner as the rs't can passed onto the tracks 10 the carriage A is again caused vto reciprocate forward through the medium of the pawls 39 and 40. After the second can has been pushed forward along the tracks The cover of the pawls is repeated, intermittently mov- .y

ing the cans and covers in unison along the tracks 10 and 18 to the end of the machine Where they are discharged from the tracks by an improved mechanism for this purpose.

It Willbe noted that the cans and covers are only moved forward along the tracks when the reciprocatory carriage is reciprocated forward and When the carriage returns to its normal position the cans and covers remain stationary on the tracks until the carriage is again reciprocated forwardly.

By the construction of a can feeding mechanism as herein set `forth I provide means for intermittently ln'io`ving cans and covers, in unison, along trackivays, permitting the cans and covers to remain stationary on said trackways for a time, to bev Washed through the medium of any approved Washing appliance.

My improved can feeding mechanism is especially adapted for use as part of a can Washing machine arranged to vvash milk cans of various sizes. However, my improved feeding mechanism can be adopted for use in combination with various other Washing apparatuses of the type of a can Washing machine.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this iscapable of variation and modification Without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of the construction set forth, but desire to, avail myself of such variations and modifications as come Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A can Washing machine comprising a guideway along which cans are adapted to he moved; a carriage mounted to reciprocate along said guide'way; and a member carried by said carriage adapted to releasable engage cans to be moved along said guide-way and adapted to cause said carriage to move in the direction of travel of said cans.

2. A can Washing machine comprising a can guideway; a carriage mounted to reciprocate along said guideway; means on said carriage arranged to vfeed cans along said gudeway; and means operable by a can for `reciprocating said carriage; sub.

stantially as described.

3. A can Washing machine comprising a can -guidevvay; a carriage mounted to reciprocate along said guideway; means on said carriage arranged to 'feed cans along said guideway; means operable by a can for moving said carriage in one direction',- and yieldable means formoving said carriage in the opposite direction, substantially as desired.

4. Can feeding mechanism comprising a guidevvay; a carriage arranged to intermittently move along said guidevvay and means operable by a canfmoved along said guidetially as described.

5. Can feeding mechanism comprising a trackvvay; a reciprocatory carriage; and means on said carriage for engagement with a can for intermittently moving cans along said trackvvay upon reciprocation 'of Asaid carriage, substantially vas described.

6. A can feeding mechanism comprising'v a guide-Way along Which cansjareadapted to move; a reclvprocatory carriage; and means 'for reclprocatmg sald carriage 1n one direction, said means .including a member carried by the carriage for engagement with a can to be moved along said guide-Way.

7. Can feeding mechanism comprising a trackway; a reciprocatory carriage for moving cans along said trackvvay; and means for reciprocating said carriage in one direction upon engagement with a can, substantially as described.

8. `Can feeding mechanism comprising a trackway'; a reciprocatory carriage for moving cans along said trackvvay; means for reciprocating said carriage in one direction upon engagement With a can, and means for disengaging said carriage .reciprocating means upon reciprocation of said carriage in the opposite direction,- substantially as described.

9. Can feeding mechanism comprising parallel tracks; a reciprocatory carriage having means `for engagement with a can whereby said carriage is reciprocated upon movement of said can; and oppositely arranged pavvls on said carriage for intermitl along said trackvvay; and pavvls equallyV spaced apart on said carriage for lintermittently moving cans along said tra-ckway,

substantially as described. 11. Can feeding mechanism comprising Way for operating said carriage, substan= manually operated through the medium of I termittently moving cans along said guidescribed. 18. Can'feeding mechanism comprising a a can to be fed along saidv tracks', substantially as described. 4

13. Can feeding.y mechanism comprising tracks; bearing rollers carried by said tracks in spaced relation with respect to each other; a carriage engaging said rollers; a pawl on said carriage forv reciprocating said carriage upon engagement With'a can; and paWls pivotally mounted on said carriage in spaced relation With respect to each other for intermittently moving cans along said tracks upon reciprocation of said carriage, substantially as described.`

14. A canfeeding mechanism comprising a guide-Way along Which cans are adapted to move; a reciprocatory carriage; means for reciprocating said carriage in one direction, said means including a memberI carried by the carriage for engagement With a can to be moved along saidguide-Way; and means carried by saidcarriage for in- Wa v 1575. Can feeding mechanism comprising a guide-Way along which cans are adapted to be moved; a carriage mounted to reciprocate along said guide-Way for intermittently moving cans therealong; and oppositely disposed members carried by said carriage for engagement With the forward side of a can for reciprocating said carriage in one direction.

16. Can feeding mechanism comprising oppositely arranged tracks; a reciprocatory carriage formoving cans along one of said tracks; paWls carried b said carriage lfor reciprocating said .carriage upon engagement with a can; and pawls pivotally mounted on said carriage for moving covers attached to said cans along the other of said tracks, substantially as described.

17. 'Can feeding mechanism comprising a trackway; a reciprocatory carriage for intermittently moving cans along said trackvvay; pawls pivotally mounted on said carriage for reciprocating said carriage in one direction upon engagement with a can; and means for reciprocating said carriage in the opposite direction, substantially as detrackway; a reciprocatory carriage for intermittently moving cans along said track- Way; pawls pivotally mounted o n said carriage for reciprocating sald carriage 1n one direction upon engagement with a can; and

a pivotally mounted Weight arm for reciprocating. said carriage inthe opposite direction, substantially as described.

19. Can feeding mechanism comprising a trackway; av reciprocatory carriage for in termittently moving cans along said track- Way; said carriage being manually -reciprocated in one direction through the medium of a can; and means for reclprocating said carriage 1n the opposite directlon, substaned in one direction through the medium ofa can'for intermittently moving cans along said tracks; and weight actuated means-for reciprocatino said carriage in the opposite direction, su stantia'lly-as' described.

22. Can .feeding mechanism comprising tracks; a reciprocatory carriage for intermittently moving cans andthe covers therefor along said tracks; pawls pivotally mounted on said carriage adapted to man ually reciprocate said carriage in one direction upon engagement With a can to be fed along said`tracks; means for disengaging said pawls from Asaid cans'upon reciprocation of said' carriage in the opposite direction; and l'means actuated through the medium-of a Weight adapted to force. said carriage in said opposite direction, substantially as described.

23. Can -feeding'mechanism comprising tracks; a reciprocatory carriage for intermittently moving cans and the covers therefor along said tracks; pawls pivotally mounted on said carriageadapted to manually reciprocate said carriage in one direction upon engagement with a can to be fed along'said tracks; means for dis'engaging said paWls from said can upon reciprocation of said carriage in the opposite direction; an arm carried by said carriage and extendking longitudinally With respect thereto; and

carriage in said opposite direction, substantially as described.

24C. Can feeding mechanism comprising tracks; a reciprocatory carriage for intermittently moving cans and the covers therefor along said tracks; paWls pivotally mounted adjacent one end of -saidv tracks for manually reciprocating! said carriage upon engagement with a can to be fed along said tracks; and a trip arm for disengaging said pavvls from said can upon a rearward movement of said carriage, substantially as described. V

' 25. Can feeding mechanism comprising a rigid frame; tracks on said frame; oppositely arranged hangers carried by said tracks; bearing rollers Within said hangers;

la reciprocatory carriage engaging said bearing rollers for intermittently movin;A cans and the covers therefor along said tracks, said carriage being manually moved in one direction through the medium of a can to be fed along said tracks, substantially as described.

Q6. Can feeding mechanism comprising a rigid frame; trackways on said frame; a reciprocatory cz'irriage on said frame; pawls pivotally mounted on said carriage for intermittently moving cans along said trackways upon reciprocatioii of said carriage in one direction, said paivls beingdisengaged from said cans through the medium of the next succeeding can, upon reciprocation of said carriage in tbeopposite direction; sub- Stantially as described.

27. Can feeding mechanism comprising tracks; a reciprocatory carriage; pavvls pivotally mounted on said carria e in spaced relation lwith respect to each ot er for intermittently moving cans along said tracks upon reciprocation of said carriage in one direction, said paivls being disengaged from said cans through the medium of the next succeeding can upon reciprocation of said carriage in the opposite direction; means pivotally mounted on said carriage for manually reciprocating said carriage in one direction through the-mediuni of a can to be fed along said tracks; and weight actuated means arranged to move said carriage in the opposite direction, substantially as described '28. Can feeding lmechanism comprising oppositely varranged trackvvays; a reciprocatory carriage; axvls pivotally'mounted on said carriage or intermittently moving cans along one of the said trackways; pawls pivotally mounted on said .carriage for intermittently moving the covers of said cans along the other of said trackways; and.` means for moving said carriage in one direction `lthrough the medium of a can to be fed along said trackway; and means for moving said carriage in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

29. Can feeding mechanism comprising oppositely arranged trackways; reciprocatory carriage; pavvls pivotally finounted on said carriage for intermittently moving cans along one of said trackways; pawls pivotally mounted on said carriage for intermittently moving the covers of said cans along the other of said trackway, said can engaging paivls and said cover engaging pawls being disengaged froiii said cans and said covers through the medium of the next succeeding can and cover upon recproca tion of said carriage in a direction opposite `the movement of flie said cans and covers; and means for moving said carriage in onedirection through the medium of a can to be fed along said trackvvay; and means for moving said carriage in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

30. A can Washing machine comprising` a can guideway; 'a carriage mounted to reciprocate along said guideivay; means on said carriage arranged to feed cans along said guideivay; means operable by a can for moving said carriage lin one direction; and weight operated means'for moving said carriage in the opposite direction, substantially as described. y

31. A can Washingmachine comprising a can guideway; a carriage mounted to reciprocate along said guideivay; means on said carriage arranged to'feed cans along said gideivay; and a paWl on said carriage arranged to be engaged by a can to be moved along said guideway; and means for automatcally releasing said pawl from said can at the end of the forward movement of said carriage, substantially as described.

32. A can Washing machine comprising a can guidevvay; a carriage mounted to reciprocate along said guidevvay; means on said carriage arranged to feed cans along said guideivay; and a pavvl on said carriage arranged tobe engaged byl a can to be moved along said guideway; means for autoinatically releasing said pavvl from said can at the end of the forward movement of said carriage, and yieldable means for returning said carriage to its rearmost position, substantially as described.

33. Can feeding mechanism comprising a guide-way along which cans are adapted to be moved; a carriage mounted to reciprocate along said giiicleivay for intermittently moving cans thei'ealong; oppositely disposed members carried by said carriage for engagement With theforvvard'side of a can for reciprocating said carriage in one direction; and means for disengaging said members from such engagement with said cans.

34. A can washingmachine comprising a can guidevvay; a can cover-guidevva-y arranged adj-acent and parallel with said can guideway, there being an opened obstructable passage between said guidevvays for the accommodation of la cover attaching element; and can actuated means for inter-- mittently moving cans and covers along said guideivays, substantially as described.

35. A can Washing machine comprising a can guide-Way; a' can cover guide-vvay arranged adjacent and' parallel with said can guide-Way, there being an open passage between said guide-ways for the accommodations of a cover attaching element; a ca r.-

' riage mounted to reciprocate along said guide-Ways; and oppositely disposed mem,- bers carried by said carriage for engagement with the forward side of a can for reciproeating said carriage in one direction.

36. Can feeding-mechanism comprising va guide-way along which cans are adaptedto be moved; a carriage mounted to reciprocate along said guide-way for `intermittently moving cans therealong; oppositely disposed members carried by said carriage for engagement with the forward side of a 'can for reclprocating said carriage in one direction; and means for returning said carriage to its initial position.

37. In a can Washing machine, the combination with a can guide-way and a cover guide-Way, roller supports associated with the can guide-Way, rollers mounted to travel along; said supports; anda can actuated reciprocatory member mounted for engagementwith said rollers for intermittently moving cans and covers along said guideways.

38. A can Washing machine including a platform onto which cans and the covers therefor are adapted to be placed, trackways adaptedy to receive the cans and covers from said platform, and a reciprocatory member adapted to move said cans and the covers therefor along said trackways, movement being imparted' to said member in oneL direci.

tion through the medium of the cans upon leaving said platform.

3.9. A can washing machine including a platform onto which cans and the covers.

therefor are adapted to be placed, trackways' adapted to receive the cans and covers-from said platform, a reciprocatory member adapted to-move said cans and the covers therefor along said trackways, movement being imparted to said member in one direction through the medium ofthe cans upon leaving said platform, and weighted means adapted for ,engagement with said member 

